Michael Grabner

The New York Islanders are in the midst of a four game home stand. The first of these four did not go as planned, as the Islanders surrendered a third period lead. They were eventually defeated in a shootout.

The New York Islanders returned home after a disappointing road trip, losing back-to-back games to the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators. But their losing ways would follow them back home as they fell 4-3 to the Buffalo Sabres after being defeated in the shootout.

The first period opened with the Isles controlling the play for the entire period. Although both teams had plenty of shots, the Isles led the way with a 16-11 advantage. Evgeni Nabokov had to make some key saves, but the fore-check that the Isles put on in the offensive zone eventually led to a goal from Frans Nielsen.

The Danish center-man toe dragged the puck in the high slot and let go of a wicked wrister that beat Ryan Miller just over his glove and inside the far post. The assists went to Pierre-Marc Bouchard, his first as an Islanders forward, and Josh Bailey.

Tonight, the Blackhawks welcome the Islanders to the United Center for the first game between these teams in nearly two years.

After several seasons of rebuilding, the Islanders are poised to make some noise in the Eastern Conference, led by newly-appointed team captain John Tavares. During those three games, the line of Michael Grabner, Josh Bailey, and Frans Nielsen has been particularly dangerous, contributing 4 goals and 11 assists.

The Islanders are 2-0-1 so far on their season, outscoring their opponents 14-9, and taking two of those games to shootouts. They are coming off Tuesday night's 6-1 romp over the Coyotes. It is the Islanders' best start since ...

A new season, a new beginning as the Islanders began the 2013-2014 season. This is their first as a member of the new Metropolitan Division begun in Newark, NJ against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center Friday night. This was the first game of the season for the Islanders while the Devils were playing the back end of a back to back coming off a 3-0 loss last night on the road to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

With the preseason now behind us, Isles fans everywhere can collectively breathe a sigh of relief as the moment we have all been waiting for is upon us. The Isles are on the verge of playing the first meaningful games since the heart breaking game 6 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins last May. We have all been eager to pick up right where we left off after exceeding all expectations last season. With all of this in mind, we can only hope for the success to continue so the Islanders can take their place among the elite teams of the NHL. Although the outcome of this coming season is yet to be determined, I think I speak for Islander fans everywhere when I say this is the most confident we have been in the last 20 years.

The stars may be aligning perfectly for veteran Pierre Marc-Bouchard. Word has been circling around the Islanders that he will be joining John Tavares and Matt Moulson on the first line for the beginning of the 2013-14 season. While this is simply conjecture at this point, it has to Marc-Bouchard grinning from ear to ear. John Tavares and Matt Moulson have a tendency to find the net and their scoring prowess could leave him with many juicy opportunities. As a member of the Minnesota Wild, Bouchard has been uninspiring and mediocre scoring less than 20 goals in every season but the 06-07 campaign. This is likely to change if he flanks Moulson and Tavares on the top line.

What has history taught us about the lovable duo of Tavares and Moulson? Well, we have learned that they have the ability to make whoever plays as the third cog, an offensive threat. With the playmaking ability of John Tavares and Matt Moulson’s nose for the net, it is easy to see why P.A. Parenteau and Brad Boyes enjoyed decent offensive seasons in Islanders uniforms. There are some that believe that P.A. Parenteau can thank John Tavares alone for his 4 year, 16 million dollar contract with Colorado Avalanche. Good things tend to happen when 91 is on the ice.

There are a lot of questions surrounding the New York Islanders as they head into next season. The biggest one will be whether or not they are capable of making the playoffs for the second year in a row.

The NHL Facebook page recently asked this same question, and many fans were either skeptical, positive or found the idea downright absurd (and these weren't just Rangers fans).

Despite an intense, hard fought playoff series with a very inexperienced roster against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team that has been one of the most dominant forces of the league for the past few years, many critics are still not convinced that the New York Islanders are a guaranteed playoff team.

The New York Islanders lost 4-3 in overtime last night to the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, thus ending their run in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Penguins took the series in six games, winning the last battle on Coliseum ice in front of a sold out crowd of Islanders fans that continued to give their home team a standing ovation despite being eliminated.

"It's exciting to play in a building like this. It's a lot of fun. In my opinion, we're probably the loudest arena in the league now," said Matt Martin after the game.

"The fans were unbelievable through the end of the season there in the last five home games and all through the playoffs. They were a big factor in the way we played at home down the stretch. It makes a huge difference for us. People don't realize it but it gives you a little extra boost, a little extra energy when the crowd goes nuts like that. You definitely want to do something exciting."